Ordered to Leave
"A colorful chapter in San Francisco history was closed forever."
~San Francisco Chronicle
On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced removal of 120,000 Japanese Americans to “relocation centers” following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor during WW2.
In a haunting depiction of a vibrant community turned ghost town:
"“Last night Japanese town was empty. Its stores were vacant, its windows plastered with "To Lease" signs. There were no guests in its hotels, no diners nibbling on sukiyaki or tempura. And last night, too, there were no Japanese with their ever present cameras and sketch books, no Japanese with their newly acquired furtive, frightened looks.”"
~San Francisco Chronicle, S.F. Clear of All But 6 Sick Japs
Prior to WW2, Japanese Americans faced numerous legal restrictions blocking them from becoming citizens or owning land, through Alien land laws. Immigrants of Asian descent in particular were shunned, with rampant stereotypes including that of the "yellow peril".
Residents of Japanese ancestry registering for evacuation. Image courtesy of Dorothea Lange.
Woodland(CA), Woman of Japanese ancestry crying aboard a train, 1942. Image courtesy of Dorothea Lange.
Hayward(CA), Two Children of the Mochida Family Labeled with Tags, 1942. Image courtesy of Dorothea Lange.
Oakland(CA), Kimiko Kitagaki worriedly guarding the family baggage prior to departure, 1942. Image courtesy of Dorothea Lange.